The New York Giants are making another addition to their wide receiver room, signing former Pittsburgh Steeler Calvin Austin to a one-year deal, according to SNY’s Connor Hughes.
It’s a $1.5 million pact, with $100k guarenteed. Hughes added that it could get up $4.5 million with incentives.
In the wake of Wan’Dale Robinson’s departure to the Tennessee Titans, the Giants have done their wide receiver shopping on the fringes of the market. They re-signed Isaiah Hodgins earlier in the week and Gunner Olszewski before the start of free agency.
Austin figures to compete for New York’s punt return job with Olszewski. In 2025, the former fourth-round pick returned 15 punts for a 6.7-yard average. He returned one for a touchdown in 2024.
Calvin Austin’s NFL Career
Austin has never been a top receiving option before, but the New York Giants are likely hoping he, along with the other additions, can help replace Robinson in the aggregate.
After being selected with the 138th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Memphis alumnus has been a solid receiving option for the Pittsburgh Steelers, racking up 84 receptions, 1,100 yards, and eight touchdowns in his three-year career.
The Giants seem to have gotten him a fairly good deal. Before free agency, Spotrac expected Austin to land a two-year, $9.7 million deal. New York is getting him for a fraction of that.
His deal has little guaranteed money, meaning if he falls short of expectations this summer, the Giants will be able to cut ties with almost no repercussions.
We’ll see if he can make his mark with John Harbaugh and company.
Giants’ Wide Receiver Room
The New York Giants continue to fill out the depth chart at wide receiver with few major names.
Malik Nabers is still the bona fide No. 1 option of the group, with Darius Slayton, Hodgins, Austin, and Jalin Hyatt rounding out the top five.
When you’re trying to develop a young quarterback, as the Giants are with second-year passer Jaxson Dart, you have to make sure you surround him with the tools to succeed.
As it stands right now, New York needs another great receiving threat outside of Nabers.
It remains unclear if the Giants’ 2024 first-round pick is going to be ready for the start of the regular season. The knee injury he suffered this past season was a serious one, and he may miss most of the offseason program.
Slayton is a solid No. 3 option, but as a No. 2, he’s over his depth.
New York may not have the cap space to go out and pursue one of the bigger names still left on the market, but they could find their WR2 in April.
Giants Free Agency Opens Door for WR at No. 5
The New York Giants have done a good job of filling their biggest needs heading into the offseason.
They were able to bring back right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor on a three-year, $39 million contract, and replaced Bobby Okereke with former Chicago Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, inking him to a three-year, $36 million deal.
With those two massive holes filled, the Giants can now look to target one of the top wide receiver prospects with the No. 5 overall pick, which, according to most experts, is Ohio State wideout Carnell Tate.
Adding Tate to the mix with New York’s other pass catchers would be the perfect finishing touch to the room, and give Dart ample weaponry to work with heading into Year 2.
Giants Sign Former Steelers Wide Receiver to One-Year Deal